By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer
CONCORD, N.C. – Ty Dillon’s Hisense 4K TV 300 began with a 10th place starting position. Dillon and his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro was also fastest in the final practice session on Thursday.
Dillon slipped back on the initial start, fighting hard in the middle of a three wide situation. Dillon had slight contact from the No. 12 of Ryan Blaney, but recovered. Dillon quickly fell out of the top 15. Dillon stabilized after several laps, and slowly began to move forward, passed the damaged car of Justin Allgaier. Dillon ducked onto pit road during the first caution for adjustments. Dillon was able to maintain his position during the round of pit stops.
Dillon was stuck mid-pack on the restart. Ross Chastain cut in front of Dillon, forcing him to slide up the racetrack and defend against Brennan Poole. Dillon recovered to pass Chastain. The green flag run ended abruptly as Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez spun in oil, with Suarez and Elliott Sadler getting most of the damage. Dillon missed the oil and the chaos and was able to jump from 15th in the running order to 10th. Once the running order was settled and the track clean-up was completed, Dillon pitted with a handful of others. After the pit stop, Dillon sat in the 23rd position.
On the restart, Dillon navigated the hornet’s nest in the middle of the pack to quickly climb up to the 11th position. Dillon’s climb through the field was cut short when Martin Roy spun off of turn four. Having just pitted, Dillon stayed on track during the caution.
Dillon slipped back on the restart, stuck behind a fierce battle between Ryan Sieg, Cole Custer, and JJ Yeley. Dillon was persistent and passed both Custer and Sieg on the outside. Dillon finally broke back into the top 10 when the caution waved yet again. Dillon pitted under caution with the rest of the field, and fell to the 13th position as five cars stayed on track and did not pit.
Dillon once again had to move forward on the restart. Dillon broke back into the top 10 for the second time on lap 63, just as the caution waved for the fifth time.
When the race restarted, Dillon was stuck on the inside of a three-wide situation with Ross Chastain and teammate Brandon Jones. Dillon was able to complete the pass on both Chastain and Brandon Jones. Dillon continued to climb up the running order. Dillon moved up to seventh as Darrell Wallace Jr. had problems. Dillon struggled to navigate lap traffic, nearly running into the back of the No. 13 of Carl Long at one point.
Ty Dillon was eventually able to run down and move by Justin Allgaier for the sixth position. Ty Dillon was then the highest Xfinity regular as Sprint Cup Series regulars, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Dillon occupied the top five positions on track. Ty Dillon pitted on lap 112 with many of those ahead of him. Ty Dillon was able to un-lap himself before the caution waved after Brennan Poole dragged a fuel can out of his pit box. After the pit stops had cycled through, Ty Dillon was still in the sixth position, behind Austin Dillon.
Ty Dillon finally broke into the top five on the restart. The was short-lived as Austin Dillon moved back by Ty, bringing Custer with him. Ty Dillon remained in the seventh position for much of the green flag run.
Dillon was the first of the leaders to hit pit road. While Dillon was on pit road, the caution waved, forcing him to take the waved around to get back on the lead lap.
Dillon restarted in the 16th position after taking the wave around. After the restart, Dillon moved up to 13th. Dillon’s climb through the field slowed, as he battled Brandon Jones and Justin Allgaier for 10th and 11th respectively. Dillon had moved into the eighth position by lap 177. Dillon was sitting in the top ten when the caution flag waved with two laps to go, sending the race into overtime. Dillon elected to pit under the caution, as did several others. Dillon was able to maneuver his way up through the mad scramble up to the eighth position.
Dillon was frustrated about his race, and took to Twitter after the event.
I'd say that was the most up and down day I've ever had just never caught a break we still need to be faster yet! #NASCAR #Hisense300
— Ty Dillon (@tydillon) May 28, 2016
Dillon bounced in and out of the top 10 multiple times, with a caution nearly trapping him a lap down, never getting a chance to truly put his car up front with the leaders.
Image: NASCAR Media
